Koos Kombuis - Bloedrivier

You will hear Koos angry, but he’s been that before. You will hear him rock out, again not for the first time. But has he ever, ever been so… right? And I’m talking about the music here, which is remarkable.

The English songs still suck, but for the most part, the album is a sequence of those wondrous occasions when Koos gets things right. Opener "Fokkol", the arguably unpatriotic (and unarguably lekker) rock anthem you heard first on 24.com, is on a one way ticket to being played (and banned) anywhere you can order a brannewyn in Mzanzi.

"Reconciliation Day" is no radio hit, but it says more about the anger of many Afrikaners than Die Burger ever can. The incredibly dramatic number features the roars of K.O.B.U.S’ Francois Blom, operatic backing vocals by Lente Louw and soaring guitar solos. It’s as close to Meat Loaf as Koos will ever get.Bloedrivier also sees the return of Koos’ favourite genre: gatskeer blues. In his signature style, he takes on the ANC and Eskom in “Fat Cat Piete (ANC Tiete)” and the not-so-hidden track, an ode to Johannes Kerkorrel’s “Sit dit Af”. A special bullet is reserved for the President: “Ou Mbeki ek sal wed / Dat jy ‘n generator het.” Clearly, we are not in Klerksdorp anymore.

Why did he come back? It’s been five years since he last recorded an album, and many more since he’s been so pissed off. “Fokkol” begins like this: “Welkom op die airport, dis die jaar 2010; Julle’s seker hier om die sokker games te sien”. But before long the kind words give way to a sea of fokkol. Smell a metaphor, do you? Koos Kombuis, one of the staunchest believers in the rebirth of the country, was more disappointed than most when the milk started turning sour. And he thinks he knows who to blame.

I wish race could be kept out of this. And if by general consensus Bloedrivier was no more than a racially-inclusive club for everyone who wants to stick their tongue out at our national leadership, it could be. But there will be disagreement, and oh-so-much finger pointing.

Let it be, whatever. But don’t turn down the music, because in Bloedrivier, we have one of the best soundtracks to the struggles of the new-new South Africa to date.

- Niel Bekker

Keep up to date with Koos's blogKoos has realised something: it’s us versus them. The Rainbow Nation has become a Bloedrivier, he says, the title of his new collection of protest songs. But not like you think. Koos Kombuis has always seen ‘them’ as those with power, and ‘us’ as those with less, especially those with none.

ons?
Not true, Johan. Both English and Afrikaans people buy Koos Kombuis's music. And it's always been that way. My adolescence was partly defined by Voelvry and that crowd and I own six of Koos' CDs.

0Koos Kombuis - Bloedriviersoundbite2008/04/07 9:53 AM

blabla
Koos Kombuis is useless. He has completely sold out everyting that he stood for in the late 80s. Stay in the suburbs your lowlife conservative fool.

0Koos Kombuis - BloedrivierPete2008/04/07 10:49 AM

Not a sell out
Koos is an artist and a social commentator I don't see that he has sold out at all ... where as previously he was commenting on the AWB tiete now he's cleverly revised his lyrics to bring attention to another concern! Saw him in concert end of last year with his new material ... loved it!

0Koos Kombuis - BloedrivierUncle2008/04/07 12:23 PM

Soundbitten The Dust
Don't be a silly, narrow-minded, opinionated fool "soundbite". Koos Kombuis is a legend of human rights and social expression, nevermind music. What has he sold exactly? In the 80s he commented on the injustices which prevailed in our country. Today, he is doing the same. Injustice is still Injustice, no matter which hand commits it. Long Live Koos!

made my point
SlimPiet has made my point. Koos Kombuis is part of the so-called "new struggle" of the rightwing fascists. Say no more. Koos should have retired in 1990.
Kerkorrel would be spinning in his grave to listen to this garbage....